Emotional eaters?!

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CatoftheCanals_
CatoftheCanals_ Posts: 41
in Motivation and Support
I know you are out there!

Anyone else get frustrated or upset and reach for the bad food??

GUILTY!

What are your tips for battling this??
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Replies

  • belle_of_the_bar
    belle_of_the_bar Posts: 474 Member
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    I eat when I'm angry. I don't have any tips, because I will literally go to the grocery store because I can't stop myself. Comiseration, but no advice.
  • Rocknut53
    Rocknut53 Posts: 1,794 Member
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    Emotional eating can be my big downfall. Today, I just took the dog and went for a walk even though it was snowy and windy as I felt myself losing control. Mainly, I try not to have much in the house and if it is available I keep it put away so I don't see it.
  • CatoftheCanals_
    CatoftheCanals_ Posts: 41
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    Comiseration helps. Lets me know I am not alone!

    Part of my issue is I am slowly whittling away at student loan debt... but I like the instant gratification of food or shopping, and feel less guilty when I buy food than useless junk, so I go for food. Terrible, I know...
  • sarahg148
    sarahg148 Posts: 701 Member
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    Yyyyyyyup! I'd be at goal weight right now if I didn't have this issue with just eating food to fill up being bored at night. I go through phases though where I'm focused, working out and feeling good and the weight falls off. THEN I get stuck and just maintain and go up a down the same 5 lbs. If I could only get to goal FIRST and THEN fluctuate. :grumble:
  • CatoftheCanals_
    CatoftheCanals_ Posts: 41
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    Emotional eating can be my big downfall. Today, I just took the dog and went for a walk even though it was snowy and windy as I felt myself losing control. Mainly, I try not to have much in the house and if it is available I keep it put away so I don't see it.

    That is what I think I am going to have to do. Make myself do something other than snack. It is hard though... So much easier to just eat.
  • sarahg148
    sarahg148 Posts: 701 Member
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    Oh, and I used to go shopping to avoid being bored...but now I'm paying off THAT debt and looking to move, so don't have much money to spend...which also makes me turn to food...so stupid.
  • chicbanjo
    chicbanjo Posts: 1
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    I have a terrible time with emotional eating. But I try to take a deep breath and be intentional about what I'm doing before I grab the candy, cookies, chips or whatever I'm craving. I ask myself if I really want to add those calories today when I've worked so hard at getting fit. I also tell myself to focus on something else---like exercising or doing a chore and just try to delay the gratification for ten minutes or thirty minutes. It seems to help. I'm not saying I'm always successful, but it does help to tell myself no because each time it gets easier. And the more intentional or thoughtful I am about eating something, the more likely I am to choose something healthy. I also try not to eat "fun" foods when doing anything else (e.g. watching t.v., surfing the web), because the mindlessness of it makes me eat more. When I think about what I'm doing when I eat a comfort food and stay in the moment doing it, I'm less likely to over-indulge and more likely to enjoy the treat rather than feel guilty. I also find looking at the nutritional information before I eat something helps a lot because then I have to think about all the fat, calories, etc. I'll be consuming. And sometimes I even go through what the pay off for those calories is. For example, I could have a 140 calorie greek yogurt that gives me protein and calcium or a 140 calorie cookie that gives me no nutritional value at all. Again, it helps me be more intentional about what I'm doing. Hopefully this advice helps! Good luck!
  • freebird777
    freebird777 Posts: 63
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    GIRRRRRRRRL you have no idea. This is my lifelong struggle. Food addiction is such a real thing. I'm still working on this myself so I don't have any answers....but you're definitely not alone!
  • royvor
    royvor Posts: 271
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    I am able to admit to this. I eat alot when I am stressed. What helps me is to leave the environment that triggers me which is the kitchen. I usually lock myself in my room and choose to do things I enjoy and occupy myself to watch youtube videos of people going through their weight loss journeys. Or I will look in the mirror and give myself compliments with positive self talk. Or I will go shop for some work out clothes. Or I will look at old photos of when I was miserable and did not have this happiness in my state of mind that I love to feel and want to have. Or try on old clothes that you used to fit into to see your progress. These are the things I do. I hope one of of these works for you.
  • vwkauffman
    vwkauffman Posts: 39 Member
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    Well, you could drink extra water, flavored if you like, to fill you up a bit more. If that doesn't work, try some kind of exercise, even if you walk around the block, around your office, up and down some stairs. And if THAT doesn't work, if you still crave something that you might regret eating, brush your teeth ;-) It works for me!
  • aronao
    aronao Posts: 112 Member
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    I was an emotional eater but I have successfully reduced this using a technique called PSTEC (http://www.pstec.org/definition.php) I was honestly skeptical about it but I have found it really did work and helped with reducing emotional eating and reducing my likelihood to give into cravings and temptations.
  • aberc
    aberc Posts: 98
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    I don't stress eat, thank god. Because I don't stress eat, I don't go for bad foods. I guess Im lucky that way.
    But I do eat when Im excited, happy, or anxious about something. I just keep good, healthy foods in the house, so even when those times of anxiety or excitement come, I may snack a little more than usual, but it's healthy foods.

    To avoid it, I simply leave the house. It's all I can do - put your mind on something else so you don't end up mindlessly snacking.
  • backpacker44
    backpacker44 Posts: 160 Member
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    I watched both of my parents die several years ago.. I gained 60 lbs over those 5 years. Now what I do is go to the gym and take it out on the weights. The endorphins help a LOT. I always feel like a rockstar when I leave.
  • mrslosser
    mrslosser Posts: 54 Member
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    I knew a lady who made it to her weight loss goal by eating a can of green beans when she had a craving or felt like eating and knew she shouldn't. If she still wanted ... cake, or whatever after eating that can of green beans she would eat the cake but found that she was pretty full already most of the time and only had about 25 calories and you can't eat as much cake when you have a belly full of green beans!
  • marieskee
    marieskee Posts: 120 Member
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    If I am happy I eat, when I'm sad I eat, Also I love eating so I learned little tricks to help along the way, such as I keep sunflower seeds around me at all times, why, because they take a while to crack open and eat so if i am angry or upset I grab them, chances are by the time I'm done cracking and spiting seeds i realize am not even hungry or peanuts too because they are filling and require water to go down easily! Oh the joys of emotional eating lol
  • CatoftheCanals_
    CatoftheCanals_ Posts: 41
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    Thanks, everyone for all the great tips!! I am going to definitely start working on the positive self talk and remembering why I am doing this!! And keeping small, healthy snacks!!
  • KristysLosing
    KristysLosing Posts: 683
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    I knew a lady who made it to her weight loss goal by eating a can of green beans when she had a craving or felt like eating and knew she shouldn't. If she still wanted ... cake, or whatever after eating that can of green beans she would eat the cake but found that she was pretty full already most of the time and only had about 25 calories and you can't eat as much cake when you have a belly full of green beans!

    That is a cool idea! I am a stress eater. I hate to admit it, but it's true. I could try to not eat when I get to that point, but all too often, I don't try to stop myself. I reach for what I think will make me feel better. And it's never healthy.
  • learninmama
    learninmama Posts: 49 Member
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    Ohhhh yeah I've got about 80 pounds of emotional eating on me LOL...know all about THAT! Recently I have been slamming a bottle of water when I feel it coming on....if that doesn't work I do a 25 cal sugar free fruit cup...if that doesn't work then I grab a fire ball....yes it's candy but I tell you what it's worth the 20 calories....as the 30 minutes it takes me to finish it usually allows me to calm down or at least get my head on a little better.
  • angel_of_harmony
    angel_of_harmony Posts: 188 Member
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    I notice that when I am stressed out that I crave fast food. What I've done this past week is allowed myself to eat out, but only healthy food. For example, I do not put cheese on my sandwich and go "naked" (without bun) if it is an option. The only places I allow myself to go are Pita Pit, Subway, Jimmy Johns and Quiznos. For sit downs I do not go by myself; my boyfriend always holds me accountable for what I order; he's amazing like that. :)
  • jaf320
    jaf320 Posts: 33 Member
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    I have a terrible time with emotional eating. But I try to take a deep breath and be intentional about what I'm doing before I grab the candy, cookies, chips or whatever I'm craving. I ask myself if I really want to add those calories today when I've worked so hard at getting fit. I also tell myself to focus on something else---like exercising or doing a chore and just try to delay the gratification for ten minutes or thirty minutes. It seems to help. I'm not saying I'm always successful, but it does help to tell myself no because each time it gets easier. And the more intentional or thoughtful I am about eating something, the more likely I am to choose something healthy. I also try not to eat "fun" foods when doing anything else (e.g. watching t.v., surfing the web), because the mindlessness of it makes me eat more. When I think about what I'm doing when I eat a comfort food and stay in the moment doing it, I'm less likely to over-indulge and more likely to enjoy the treat rather than feel guilty. I also find looking at the nutritional information before I eat something helps a lot because then I have to think about all the fat, calories, etc. I'll be consuming. And sometimes I even go through what the pay off for those calories is. For example, I could have a 140 calorie greek yogurt that gives me protein and calcium or a 140 calorie cookie that gives me no nutritional value at all. Again, it helps me be more intentional about what I'm doing. Hopefully this advice helps! Good luck!

    This is all great advice. My emotional eating starting to surface again this past year mostly because I'm back in school part time and helllooo boredom eating while listening to lecture online/studying. I also realized I was eating out of procrastination. One thing that really helped was making a "rule" for myself that if I was getting completely stir crazy and wanting to down an entire box of cookies/etc, I would go for a walk outside instead. It could even be as quick as 10 mins - but honestly these walks usually gave me the break I was craving and if I did eat afterward it was usually something a lot more reasonable/healthy. I also started drinking a lot of tea when I studied. Although the tea usually just has Splenda (or maybe a little almond milk in it) it often dulls the cravings quite a lot.

    The last thing that resonated with me was the quote "If hunger isn't the problem, food isn't the solution." So true! So instead, work on trying to figure out what is going on with your emotions and address it, even in a small way.

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